As Todd Archer pointed out on ESPN Dallas, this doesn’t mean that Dallas will outright refuse the Texans’ request--and actually, Phillips has experience with such situations.

As the Cowboys’ head coach back in 2007, Phillips went after another ex-staff member, Brian Stewart, who worked together with the San Diego Chargers. The Cowboys’ request was initially denied by the Chargers, but a few weeks later, the interview was granted and Stewart was hired as Dallas’ defensive coordinator.

There has been talk of widespread change throughout the Cowboys’ coaching staff, but Jason Garrett said recently that the team has no plans of mindlessly cleaning house.

“We don’t believe in change for change sake,” Garrett said, per ESPN Dallas. “A lot of people want to come in and say, ‘We’ve got to make some changes.’ We’re going to make the changes we think are the right changes to make.”